Man arrested in Valdosta shooting that left 1 in critical condition

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - The Valdosta Police Department (VPD) made an arrest in a Thanksgiving aggravated assault incident.

On Nov. 23 at around 9:50 p.m., VPD officers and EMS responded to the 300 block of East Adair Street in reference to a 911 call about a person who appeared to have fallen and was bleeding from the head, according to a VPD release.

When first responders arrived on the scene, they located a 52-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound to the face. He was transported to South Georgia Medical Center where he was stabilized and life-flighted to another hospital in Florida.

Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene to investigate the incident.

Through the investigation, detectives determined that about one hour before the caller found the victim, he was shot by an unknown person. Detectives followed up with several tips, along with door-to-door canvasses in the area.

The shooter was identified as Damion McKinney, 44. The investigation revealed that this incident was an unprovoked malicious assault.

On Nov. 24 at around 8 p.m., detectives obtained an arrest warrant for McKinney, as well as a search warrant for his residence.

Detectives made contact with McKinney and took him into custody without incident. While searching his residence, detectives found evidence that connected him to the shooting.

McKinney was taken to the Lowndes County Jail on felony aggravated assault and felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime charges. The case is still under investigations and further charges are pending.

The victim is still in critical condition.

WALB has reached out for McKinney’s mugshot.

“I am proud of the work our detectives did by continuing to follow up with every piece of information they received. They worked non-stop to ensure that the offender was identified and can be held accountable for his needless actions,” Chief Leslie Manahan said.